Tips on doing a outline?

[Lita]

I get the character a idea,but I am trying to find my story.

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Brenda Diane Smith Filmmaker 35mm 0r bust nothing will stop me!!!!!

[Jeremy]

Try the 'what if...' method. Don't be critical yet, at this stage of thinking you want quantity so write down everything you think of.

What if.... my character woke up one morning to find himself in upstairs in Egypt in 1845?

What if.... my character discovered she had breast cancer/supernatural powers/a rich uncle who has passed away leaving her with ?4 million!

Another way which might help is by trying to define your story you can define all storys:

It's a story about <character> who <wants something/is faced with/has to overcome> and ends up <winning/losing>.

There are loads good books on this kinda think. Go to a local college and steal books from their library. They're funded by the taxes which you pay so they really belong to you in the first place.

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Fortis fortuna adiuvat

[Pryce]

You're going to stoke up some flames with last two sentences, Jez. I know we all have our opinions, right or wrong, but phew!!

For my two euro cents worth my wife is at college and she wanted a book and the college said sorry we have spent all our money on books this term - we had the book last term but.... somebody stole it.!!

FWIW I agree with your ideas on the original subject.


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Pryce
http://prycejones.com/film/

[This message has been edited by Pryce (edited October 08, 2001).]

[Lita]

It was a joke,I got a Libary card.Now back to help me find my story tips????????????It is a sci-fi story.

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Brenda Diane Smith Filmmaker 35mm 0r bust nothing will stop me!!!!!

[Curtin-Parloe]

Write a complete biography of your character:
what about hir parents?
where was sh brought up?
does sh have a religion?
Siblings?
physical description?
habits?
relationships?
etc
etc
etc

once you've got an in-depth enough biog, a plot is more likely to present itself.

cheers

paul

PS hir instead of his/her

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BAD EYE - It's finally here! www.curtin-parloe.co.uk/badeye Curtin Parloe 2001

[8th Man]

Sorry. I hit reply before I was done. Ignore the above posting.
Oh yeah, and theme. Try writing down a few possibilities for themes. things that could relate to universal truths or whatever. What's it REALLY about? Sometimes themes aren't obvious to a writer at the beginning of a project but they should be by the end. They can be something you believe in. The importance of living in the moment. Ballancing your fears with bravery. Compassion for others. Truth. Understanding. What happens when you mess with nature.How a small missunderstanding can lead to a major one. How a single incident can cause people to come together or move apart etc..
But I digress. Most if not all stories come from some sort of conflict and that can mean inner as well as outer. This goes back to want vs. need I think.
BTW I heard something interesting about Dr. Suess. He would go into his work area evey day to work on his children's books. Some days he would only doodle a bit, somedays he would accomplish absolutely nothing, but some days it was all he could do to keep up with the flow of ideas. But, he said, the important thing was to do it every day.


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PRM

[8th Man]

No matter what the setting or genre, it's still about character. Characters will drive the story and drama, not the other way around. even in sci-fi which you might think is more plot oriented.The worst sci-fi lets characters take a back seat. I felt a lot freer once I started thinking away from plotting and more toward ways to build a rapport between audience and character.
Give us somebady we want to watch and we'll watch them. Bog us down in plot points and it just won't be entertainment anymore.
Alot of books will speak of want vs. need. What does your char. want and what do they really need? In your mind ask your char. some questions and let them answer.

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PRM

[8th Man]

Oh yeah, and theme. Try writing down a few possibilities for themes. thins that could relate to universal truths or whatever. What's it REALLY about? Sometimes themes aren't obvious to a wrtiter at the beginning of a project but they should be by the end. Thia can be somthing you believe in. The importance of living in the moment. Ballancing your fears with bravery. Compassion for others. Truth. What happens when you mess with nature. etc..

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PRM